Art of working cardboard and similar material



Aug. 12, 1930. H. B. SMITH 3 9 ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR AWE: ET

A g. 12, MN. H. B. SMITH 1,772,785

ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL Fil 06% 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1930. H, '5, SMITH v 1,772,785

ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL Fil O 26. 1925 e Sheets-Sheet s i L) N Q Q *6 .3? MW N W H D B a MIL/L J44,

Aug. 12,1930. H. B. SMITH 1,772,735

ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILJAR MATERIAL File t- 26. 1925 s sheets-sheet 4 k N H INVENTOR j/d "I'VE/1.6917711 ll Sfln ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1930. H. B. SMITH 1,772,785

ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL I Fil 2 1925 6 Sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR 7 1 ,%RNEY H. B. SMITH Aug, 12, 1930.

ART OF WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 26, 1925 IN VENTOR 190. Fr yzr/d man 517117 14 atentedv Aug. 1 2, I 1 930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- HARRY BRIDGMAN SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 HOAGUE-SPRAGUE CORPORATION, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS ART OI WORKING CARDBOARD AND SIMILAR MATERIAL Application flied October 26, 1925. Serial No. 65,029.

This invention relates to the art of operating upon sheet material, usually of a fibrous nature, such as various grades of paper and more especially the various grades generically known as cardboard.

While the invention in one aspect includes the performance of various operations such creasing, shaping or die cutting and severing the material, one of the most important objects is to provide a new and improved method and mechanism for forming crimp or bead creases in a rapid, eflicient and economical manner. This method and mechanism are especially devised or adapted for the satisfactory production of such creases in the cheaper cardboard stocks, such as those known as chipboard and strawboard, which it has heretofore been impossible to crease in this fashion in a satisfactory manner. The invention is, however, applicable to practically all grades of cardboard including the highergrades known as folding board.

It has heretofore been attempted to form longitudinal bead creases in the cheap cardboard stock by the use of rotary creasing elements acting on opposite sides of the sheet; but it was found that such devices cannot be arranged, adjusted or operated to produce a bead or crimp crease without the generation of a large amount of frictional heat, which injuriously affects the fibrous structure of the material, or practically burns it, and renders it crisp or brittle so that it cracks at the crease when it is folded. Therefore, in commercial practice, it is not attempted to crimp-crease such cardboards, but they are scored along the fold lines. Such scoring,

of course, materially weakens the board by decreasing its thickness at the folds andtherefore it has been necessary in most cases to reinforce the cheap body stock by an adhesively applied cover sheet or by reinforcing strips at the edges or along the folds, these operations, of course, materially increasin the cost of the blank or box produced there rom. My invention provides for the formation of the desirable crimp or bead creases in this cheap material, without creating any frictional heat or otherwise injuring the structure of the board, so that it can be folded and otherwise handled substantially like the more expensive cardboards, and so that for cheap boxes there is no necessity for reinforcing the body material with cover paper or reinforcing strips, although, of course, such expedients may be em loyed when it is necessary to produce a highly finished box, or for other reasons.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a creasing method and mechanism in which the creasing operations may be performed upon an advancing web or blank as distingulshed from a blank which is located in a stationary position while the creasing 7 operation is performed. This is practically necessary for rapidand economical production. Rotary creaser's of the lcind above mentioned have been employed on advancing blanks, but they are unsatisfactory for cheaper stocks, as just explained. My invention therefore provides for moving the creasing or other sheet working elements along with the sheet or blank, and at the same or approximately the same speed as the blank during the actual creasing or other blank working operation, so that there is no, or substantially no, relative slippage and the desired operation is performed correctly without creating any frictioneifect which would generate heat or have any other deleterious effect upon the blank. v

Thev invention also provides creasing or other sheet working instrumentalities which also serve when necessary or desirable, as feeding elements for advancing the blank or' web, with or Without additional or auxiliary feeding elements.

In the case of longitudinal creasers, the invention also further provides, desirably, for an overlapping action of the creasing elements; and it also provides, desirably, when two or more parallel longitudinal creases are to be formed, for alternate actions of the respective creasers, so that undesirable lateral strains upon the blank 'or web, or other diificulties which are encountered when it is attempted to form parallel longitudinal creases by simultaneously acting instrumentalities, are avoided. The invention includes a new and improved mechanical movement or mechanism for performing creasing or other sheet working op erations, in which the creasing elements are moved convergently into contact with opposite sides of the advancing sheet and at the same time are moved forward so that at the moment of contact and during contact they advance at exactly'or practically the same speed as the sheet, and are then moved divergently away from the sheet and backward for the beginning of another advancing and convergent movement. The creasers, whether longitudinal or transverse, are moreover so supported or guided that as they approach and come in contact with the sheet they are maintained in parallel relation to each other and the sheet, or inother words, there is no tilting or rocking movement of the creasers which are therefore brought squarely into engagement with the sheet in directions at right angles thereto; all the creasing elements of one group or co-operating pair act practically simultaneously, andthe result is that there is no slippage or friction and practically Y perfect creases of the desired character are made in the cheaper or any of the better grades of stock.

In one aspect also, the invention includes the combination of several blank working instrumentalities such as longitudinal and transverse creasers and blank shaping, die cutting, or severing devices, with suitable driving connections or gearing, arranged and coordinated as a complete operative machine, and including also, preferably, various provisions for adjustment for various purposes, as sufliciently explained hereafter.

In one form, as herein disclosed, the invention provides relatively simple mechanism for forming longitudinal creases in individual blanks, that is, creases which are produced on lines parallel to the direction of blank advance, together with automatic means for feeding the individual blanks automatically in sufficiently rapid succession. When blanks have been creased on parallel lines in such a mechanism, they may be additionally creased on parallel lines at rightanglesto the creases first produced, by simply turning the blanks half way around and again feeding them through the creasing mechanism with or Without lateral adjustment of the creasers, depending on the desired location of the second set of creases.

In another, and somewhat more elaborate form, as also here disclosed, the invention includes both longitudinal and transverse creasers acting successively on the web or individual blanks and also blank end shaping and cut-off mechanism operated in proper relation to the creasers, so that the sheet material need be passed only once through the machme to produce a complete longitudinal and transverse crease and end-shaped blank,

either from individual plain blanks or continuous web material.

explain representative performances of the process. After considering these examples, persons skilled in the art will-understand that many variations may be made within the principles of the invention, and I contemplate the employment of any structures, or the performance of the method in any ways, which are properly within the scope of the ap-.

pended claims.

Fig. 1 is a top plan of a cardboard working machine embodying the invention in one form, with some parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan showing the material advancing in web form, to explainv the operations performed upon it by the mechanism and method of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a section at {fr-4:, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section at 5-5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation, explaining the principal driving or gear connections and certain adjustments thereof.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a modified and in some respects simplified mechanism for forming longitudinal creases, and including automatic feed mechanism for 111' dividual blanks.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section at 8-8, Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional enlarged detail in a transverse plane of the machine, of certain blank cutting devices.

In one physical embodiment of the mechanism as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, it is arranged on a base or main frame which comprises upper longitudinal members 1, lower longitudinal members 2 and uprights '3.- For structural convenience and other reasons, the active blank workinginstrumentalities are arranged substantially in practical- 1y distinct units mounted on the main frame, these'units comprising longitudinal creasers A, transverse creasers B and C, and shaping,

die cutting or cut-off mechanism D. These different units, as will sufficiently appear hereafter are capable of a wide range of independent uses, or of being combined in different ways for different purposes.

The longitudinal creasing mechanism A comprises side uprights 5 which support in suitable bearings parallel lower shafts 6 and upper shafts 7. Two eccentrics 8 are mounted on each of shafts 6, and two similar eccentrics are mounted on each of shafts 7 and secured to rotate with the shafts. Desirably,

these eccentrics are adjustable longitudinally on the shafts to provide for spacing the lon-v gitudinal creasers for different blank widths or crease locations. For this purpose each eccentric has a hub 10 provided with a set screw 11, or other clamping device, so that the eccentric may be secured in its laterally'adjusted position. The shafts are further provided with splines or channels 12 suitably interfitting with the eccentrics to positively drive them.

A creaser frame or body 15 is mounted on each pair of lower eccentrics, which are in line with each other longitudinally of the I machine, and substantially similar creaser bodies 16 are provided for the two pairs of upper eccentrics. Each body is formed with half-bearings fitting the respective eccentries, and is secured by a cap 17 having halfbearings and detachably bolted to the body. Lateral displacement isprevented by flanges 18 on the eccentrics. Each of the pairs of corresponding upper and lower creaser bodies has complemental creasing instrumentalities. Thus each upper creaser body 16 is provided with a longitudinal blade 20 held between bars 21, so that a small part of the blade forming a rib 22 projects-at the intersection of angularly inclined ba'r faces 23. Each lower body 15 has crimping or pinching bodies 25, which are conveniently of substantially rhomboidal cross section, having active narrow edges or faces 27, normally spaced apart somewhat more than the width of blade 20, and having lower edges 28 located in lonitudinal V-shaped sockets 29 in the body'15. prings 30 hold theblades 25 in their sockets and also normally hold the blades against a center bar 31 which is urged outward by springs 32. Of course, the upper and lower creasing mechanism could be interchanged By mechanism explained below the lower creaser shafts 5 are driven in the same direction as indicated by arrows, and the'upper shafts. 7 are driven in the opposite direction. All of the eccentrics which are in one vertical plane are so located that in one particular shaft position, as shown in Fig. 2, the axes of greatest eccentricity of the corresponding upper and lower eccentrics, are in line and point toward each other. The other four eccentrics, in order to give an alternate action of the two pairs of creasers, are preferably oppositely arranged, that is, when the four eccentrics seen in Fig. 2 are in the position shown, the other set of four, which are in another vertical plane toward the farther side of the machine, are oppositely positioned; or in other words, the two eccentrics on each shaft have their centers at oppositesides of the shaft axis.

Gardboard to be creased may be fed, in the form of separate blanks or a continuous web, to the longitudinal creasers, in any known or suitable way. In the present machine upper and lower primary feed rolls 40 and 41 are provided, which are driven'at a suitable speed by means described below. Individual blanks may be fed by hand between the feed rolls 40 and 41, or any suitable feed mechanism may be provided for automatically feeding the blanks at the desired rate. In the present embodiment of the machine provision is made for feeding the cardboard inthe form of a continuous web 42, which is drawn from a roll 43 carried by a shaft 44' su ported in suitable bearings in brackets 45. 11 its way to the primary feed rolls the web passes through straightening mechanism consisting of a roll 46 carried by a shaft 47 mounted in fixed bearings in brackets 45, and under a roll 48 which presses the web on roll 46. Another roll 49 is carried by a shaft 50 mounted in bearings in arms 51 which are pivoted on shaft 47 or at the axis thereof. Links 52 connect arms 51 to arms 53'on a rock shaft 54, from which long arms 55 extend to support a roll 56 which rests on the cardboard roll 43, and is positioned in accordance-withthe varying diameter of the cardboard roll, so that the movable straightening roll 49 1s correspondingly positioned. Thus, as the size of the cardboard roll decreases and the material which is drawn off is therefore more. sharply curved, roll 49 descends correspondingly and gives a sharper reverse curve of the web around roll 46 to take out the 1n1t1al set or curvature. The web is then drawn onward by rolls 40 and 41, and fed to the longitudinal creasers.

Each of the creasing instrumcntalltles consisting of one of the bodies 15 and 16 and the parts carried by it, is drlven by its two eccentrics 8 or 9 at a continuously varying speed in relation to a fixed point, but always in parallel relation 'to the advancing web. As the four eccentricsin one plane approach the position shown in Fig. 2, the actlve creasing elements carried by. the upper and lower bodies 16 and 15 approach the web, n parallel relation to it and to each other, and at the same time are moved forward or in the direction of web advance faster and faster, until at the moment that the creaslng elements engage the web they move forward at a speed which is identical or practically identical with that of the web, and the creaslng action is performed without much or any material slippage, and without any deleterious effects upon any cardboard stock including the cheaper grades, such as straw or chip board. The edges 27 of the lower creasing blades engage the under surface of the web along two parallel separated lines and squeeze the web against the inclined faces 23 of the upper bars 21 and then in the further slight convergent movement of the creasers, bar 31 is depressed as the edges 27 move convergently and pinch a narrow longitudinal'strip of the material against rib 22 to form the pinch or head crease 60. As the creasers move beyond the positionof Fig. 2, they are retracted "from 7 any special that is, the web does not advance between.

the creasing actions a distance equal to the full length of the creasing members 20, 21

. and 25, but only a portion of that distance,

say from one-half to two-thirds the length of the creasing elements, which therefore have an overlapping effect or act upon portions of the crease more than once. This not only insures the proper crease formation, but prevents any break or interruption in the continuity of the crease. By the opposite arrangement of the two sets of eccentrics in the different vertical planes, as above referred to, the creasers for the different longitudinal creases 60, act alternately so that while one pair of creasing elements is in engagement .with the web the other pair is in disengaged position and moves rearwardly. This is a desirable and important feature, since it has been found in practice that it is difficult, if not impossible, to properly form parallel crimp creases at the same time, since the act of creasing draws the web laterally to an ap preciable extent, and if this lateral pull is applied to the web simultaneously at two substantially oppositepoints, the formation of the creases is impaired or the web is strained or may even be torn.

While itis usually desirable when feeding a continuous web to provide initial feed rolls such as 40 and .41, this is not necessary in all cases, nor is it always necessary with in dividual blanks, since the longitudinal creasers as well as other creasing or sheet working instrumentalities referred to later, have in themselves a feeding action suflicient to advance the web or blank although not in all cases, at the desired rate of speed. Evidently when each pair of longitudinal creasers is in engagement with the web or blank, the latter is necessarily fed forward, and it is moreover, maintained in the proper longitudinal alignment without necessity for the provision of uide means, since the web or blank is positively gripped between the creasing el ments, which are arranged in the line of blank advance, and have no tendency to divert it from its true path of movement, even when the creasers act alternately in accordance with the preferred arrangement. Beyond the longitudinal creasers in the present specific embodiment of the invention, are the transverse creasers B and C, which are suflicient for the formation of two transverse creases 61 and 62 for each blank. When a greater number of transverse creasers is necessary, additional creasing units shafts 65 and 66 mounted in suitable bearings in uprights 67. Two eccentrics 68 are mounted in spaced relation on shaft 65, and two eccentrics 69 are mounted in' similarly spaced relation on shaft 66. Both eccentrics on each shaft are arranged in the same position and those on the two shafts are arranged relatively so that in one position, as shown in Fig. 2, the axes of greatest eccentricity are in line and point toward each other. A frame or creaser body 70 is provided with half bearings fitting the lower eccentries 68, a similar body 71 is provided for the upper eccentrics, these bodies being secured by hearing caps 72. Guide rods 73 are secured in the sockets as in the lower creaser body', pins 74 being provided to retain the rods, and upper portions of the rods are arranged to reciprocatein sockets75 in the upper creaserbody71. Bythisorothersuitablemeans the upper and lower creaser bodies are guided in parallel relation while they are moved by the eccentrics in circular paths. The upper body 71 is provided with a socket 7 6 containing a creaser blade and bars similar to the elements 20 and 21 previously described and similarly numbered. The lower creaser body has a socket or channel 77 containing creaser blades and a bar. similar to the elements 25 and 31 previously described. In brief, the active creasing devices may be substantially the same as .for the longitudinal creasers.

While in some cases the transverse creasers might act simultaneously, it is usually desirable to set the eccentrics as shown so that one of them acts upon the blank while the other is inactive, thus, the eccentric axis of the unit C is different from that of unit B and creases 61 are formed first and then creases 62 are formed by unit C. These two creases corresponding to adjacent end portions of consecutive individual blanks to beproduced from the web.

The web now passes to unit D, which in the present instance is substantially a die cutter having upper and lower blades or dies 80 to produce the desired blank end formation'consisting in the present example of end wings blanks along the lines 86, the severing of the central portion corresponding to the end wings, being accomplished in thisexample by excising a substantially rectanguluarpiece of the material corresponding to the differshafts 90 and 91, substantially as in the case ence in the lengths of the end wings 81 and corner laps 82.

The dies are carried by upper and lower cutter bodies 86 and 87, which are mounted on and impelled by eccentrics 88 and 89 on of the transverse creasers and these parts are therefore not described in detail. The principal difference is that the bodies 86 and 87 are usually made wider than the bodies 7Q and 71 to give room for practically any desired die cutter arrangement. Desirably, the eccentrics 88 and 89 are set at such angles that the die mechanisms will operate at a time when the transverse creasers are not in contact with the web, although this is not essential in all cases.

It has been stated above that while the blank or web working devices have a feeding function, this may not be sufiicient in all cases.

- Particularly, the blank working devices may not feed the web fast enough because they are out of contact with it the greater part of the time. Also some of the units, such as unit D, may be necessarily spaced so far away from the others, such as unit 0, on account of necessary blank length, that additional feeding means is necessary or desirable. Such additional feeding means is sufiicient- 1y represented byco-operating rolls 100 and 101 engaging the web (or separate blanks if these are used) between units 0 and D, and co-operating rolls 102 and 103 engaging the severed blanks to move them away from unit 1). The lower rolls 100 and 102 are desirably positively driven and the upper rolls may be idlers carried by arms 104 pivoted at 105, so that the web or blank is frictionally held on the positively driven rolls which may move slightly faster than the normal web or blank speed to give amoderate forward drag. Roll 102 may be driven still faster to rapidly carry away the completed blank. Feed devices, such as these pairs of rolls, may, of course, be provided wherever necessary, for instance, between units A and V B if it is necessary to separate them more than is indicated in the drawings.

The rolls 100, 101 and 102, 103 are inthis instance mounted as parts of the unit D, but, of course, each pair of rolls may be mounted on separate side frame members so that it' can be independently arranged or adjusted.

Fig. 5 sufli ciently illustrates one desirable method of mounting or otherwise supporting uprights on the main frame. The side frame members or uprights 67 in the case of unit B rest on the upper rails 1 of the main frame and are clamped in adjusted position longitudinally of the main frame by gibs 110 held by screws 111.

As above stated various drive arrangements or connections may be employed. One specific arrangement will now be described which embodies certain desirable features of the present arrangement or its equivalent is therefore preferred in some cases. The iniried by an arm 131 pivoted about the axis of shaft 128. The arm has a slotted sector 132 for securing arm 131 in adjusted position by a screw 133 engaging any suitable stationary part of the frame. Idler gear 130 engages a pinion 135 on a shaft 136 which carries the lower initial feed roll 41. The upper roll 40 may be an idler or it may, if desired, be

positively driven from shaft 136. The described arrangement provides for driving a continuous web or for advancing individual blanks at different speeds with relation to that of shaft 126, this speed variation being made with regard to the individual blank length, by changing the single gear 135 and adjustin arm 131 with its idler 130 accordingly.

Ty means of other pairs of bevel gears 140, 141 and 142, shaft 126 drives various transverse shafts, such as 143, 144 and 145, the first corresponding to unit A, the second to units B and C when it is desired to drive them from the same initial point, and the third to unit D. When units B and C are being driven together,as in the present example, their driving arrangement and connections may be the same as for unit A, which therefore will be described in detail without--particular description of the drive mechanism for units B and C. Of course, whenever it is necessary or desirable, separate drive connections may be provided for units 13 and C, or for, any other transverse creasing or other blank working units.

Shaft 143 for unit A carries an elliptical gear 150 engaging a similar gear 151 on a transverse shaft 152. Desirably, the position of gear 151 in relation to its shaft may be varied by means ofarc-shaped slots 153 and screws 154 passing through the slots and engaging in a circular flange 155 secured to the shaft. Fixed on shaft 152 is a gear 160 engaging pinions 161 on the lower eccentric shafts 6. Two idlers 162 and 163 connect gears 161 to gears 164 fixed on the upper eccentric shafts 7. In this way all of the eccentric shafts of the unit are driven simultaneously in the proper directions. Since the speed of web or blank travel is varied for difespecially the transverse creasers and the die cutting or cut-off mechanism D are desirably arranged as here shown to act once for each blank length, the adjustment of elliptical gear 151 or some equivalent arrangement is provided to cause the blank working elements to move at the roper speed, which is substantially the blan speed, when they are in engagement with the blank or web. By changing the angle of elliptical gear 151 in relation to its shaft, the positions of all the eccentrics of the corresponding units are simultaneously changed with relation to gear 151 and shaft 126. On account of the constantly varying relative s eeds of shafts 143 and 152, the blank wor ing elements such as the longitudinal creasers, or the transverse creasers, may thus be caused to move at the blank speed,

. while they are in engagament with it so that the creasing or other operation may be perfectly performed without any, or any appreciable, slipping or other harmful effectupon the blank. Adjustment may in some cases be made so that the movement of the blank working element is slightly greater or less than the normal blank speed for the purpose of slightly retarding or speeding up the blank or web whenever that is desirable.

Instead of elliptical gears 150 and 151, round eccentric gears may be emplo ed in some cases. Elliptical gears are pre erably used in the present arrangement for the princlpal reason thatin unit A, and in units B and C considered together, there is in each instance a pair of creasing instrumentalities which arereferably arranged to act alternately, and the use of elliptical gears provides for each cycle of the machine two high speed positions or ranges of movement in the rotation of shaft 152 with two intermediate low speed positions or ranges. Each high speed position or range of travel of shaft 152 is therefore available for speeding up the movement of one of the two simultaneously driven creasing instrumentalities, to bring it up to blank or web speed just before and as it engages and leaves the blank.

The driving arrangement for unit D is substantially similar,except that instead of an elliptical gear, a round gear 170 is eccentrically mounted on shaft 145. This engages another round gear 171 eccentrically and movably mounted on shaft 152 and adjusted as to its angular osition in relation to the shaft, by a screw 1%2 passing through an arcshaped slot 173 in a circular flange 174 secured to the shaft. This drive arrangement provides for continual variations in the speed of eccentric shaft 90, but with only one high speed and one low speed position or range of movement of the shaft in each cycle of the machine, since in unit D there is only one blank working instrumentality which operates once for each blank length.

The feed rolls 100 and 102 are desirably driven by sprockets and chains 200 and 201 from shaft 136, which carries the primary feed roll 41. The blanks are thus impelled by the feed rolls 100 and 102 at a speed closely proportioned to that of the primary feed roll, and if desired, the sprocket sizes may be so selected that the rolls 100 and 102 will run slightly faster than the primary feed roll.

As above stated any known or suitable mechanism may be employed to feed individual blanks to the initial feed rolls 40 and 41. In my previous application, No. 653,505, filed June 24, 1923, l have disclosed individual blank feeding mechanism which may be employed for this purpose by merely placing them in proper relation at the feed end of the machine and connecting the initial drive memberof the feed mechanism to a suitable rotary part of the present mechanism, to drive the feed mechanism at the proper speed rate.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show a modified embodiment of the invention in which only longitudinal creasers are employed in connection with suitable individual blank feed mechanism. Creaser bodies 15 and 16 with creasing members on their confronting faces, with their eccentrics and eccentric shafts 6 and 7 supported in frame uprights 5, and the main frame members 1, 2 and 3, aresubstantially as in the preceding description; also the creaser shafts are connected to rotate together by gears 161, idlers 162 and 163 and gears 164, as above. The eccentrics are set so that the creasers will act alternately, as explained in the preceding example, and also, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

A suitable initial driving member represented by the electric motor 120 is mounted on frame members 2 and connected to one of the eccentric shafts 6 by a silent chain 200, or otherwise the motor might be connected directly to one of the eccentric shafts or idler shafts.

Blank feed mechanism F is provided for feeding individual blanks B. This comprises slightly tilted spaced side supports 204 supporting the side margins of the blanks which are arranged in a stack, guided by side uprights 205and a back upright 206. An adjustable gate or stop 207 is supported on the back upright and is adjusted by a screw 208, in accordance with the thickness of the blanks, so that only one blank at a time can pass under the stop. An initial friction feed roll 210 is arranged to bear on the bottom blank near its forward end. This roll is located between the supports or rails 204 and is carried by a shaft 211. The shaft is mounted in bearing blocks 212, which are arranged on frame members so that they may be moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the machine, so as to properly position the 1 .advanced by the friction feed roll 210. The

upper roll 40 may be an idler bearing frictionally on the blank, or it may be positively driven from the shaft of roll 41 by gears.- Shaft 215 which carries the-lower feed roll 41 is driven at a suitable'speed rate in relation to the eccentric shafts, in any suitable way. The drive in the present example is by a large reduction gear 220 mounted on the shaft 221 and engaging gear 161 on the foremost lower eccentric shaft 6. A pinion 222 in fixed relation to gear 220 drives another large gear 223 fixed on shaft 215. In one particular example when the eccentric shafts are driven at about 1700 R. P. M. the reduction gearing is so desi ned as to drive shaft 215 at about respective shafts, and a chain 230 which also passes about an idler sprocket 231 carried by a shaft which is mounted in vertical guide slots 232. The idler and its shaft are of sufficient weight to take up slack in the chain and the longitudinal adjustment of shaft 211 is allowed for in an obvious way by vertical movement of sprocket 231.

The friction feed roll advances the successive lower blanks in practically abutting relation to feed rolls 41 and 40, which deliver the blanks to the creasers, which alternately approach, grip and crease, and advance the blanksand recede in the manner described in connection with the other embodiment of the invention. Other feed mechanism for individual blanks may be substituted for the mechanism F as here shown, such, for example, as the positive feed mechanism disupon another.

Transverse frame members 240 support laterally adjustable heads 241, which are formed with jaws or openings 242 to receive longitudinal margins of the blanks B. Vertical side guide rails 243 are carried by the heads 241, these rails extending from a point adj acent the feed rolls 40 and 41' to a point some distance beyound the rearward ends of the creaser bodies. Upper and lower guide rails 244 and 245 are also provided, carried by vertical faces of' heads 241. One of these guide rails at each side of the machine, such as the lower rail 245, may be fixedly secured to its head faces, and desirably, the other cooperating rail, such as 244, is vertically movable and may be secured by screws 246 passing through vertical slots in the rail. The

rail may be permitted to bear, by gravity, on ,the blank and in that case is self-adjusting,

or it may be secured in adjusted position, that is, with its lower edge spaced away from the edge of upper rail 245 very slightly more than the thickness of the blank, by tightening up screws 246.

The upper and lower rails have angular or curved end faces 247, Fig. 7 to easily direct the forward edge of each blank between the rail, and as the successive blanks pass between the two pairs of upper and lower guide rails their adjacent edges are prevented from overlapping, in an obvious way.

It is desirable in some cases to provide a movable receiver or carry-off apron for the blanks. This is represented in the present embodiment by a belt 250 carried by a forward pulley 251 and a rear pulley 252, with the forward end of the belt located beneath the rearward ends of guide rails 244 and 245. The pulleys are supported by any suitable frame membersand the forward pulley is driven in any convenient way, for example, by a chain or belt 254 from shaft 215. The

successive blanks discharged from the guide rails are deposited on the rearwardly traveling belt in overlapping fashion, as clearly shown, and they may be removed by it upon a table. The surface speed of belt 250 is about the same as the rate of blank travel or may be slightly greater.

After blanks are creased on the two parallel lines by the described mechanism, they may be restacked and turned half-way around and run again through either the same or another similar creaser to provide additional creases at right angles to the first ones.

The method of adjusting the eccentrics described in connection with the other embodiment of the machine, provides for locating the creasers in practically any desired posi-- tions .on blanks of varying dimensions within a very substantial range, without unduly increasing the size of the machine.

,I claim 1. A method of producing crimp creases in cardboard or analogous material, comprising moving parallel creasers of substantial length in'generally convergent directions in their common plane into contact with opposite sides of the cardboard sheet, pressing the sheet between the creasers while the latter move longitudinally with the sheet to form a beadf'crease in the sheet, retracting the creasers from sheet contact and moving them longitudinally rearward, and repeating 2. A method of producing crimp creases in cardboard or similar material, comthe sheet, and again moving the creasers convergently to engage and crease the sheet While moving with it, and repeating these actions indefinitely on successive portions of sheet material.

3. A method of forming parallel crimp creases in cardboard and similar sheet material, comprising performing repeated single creasing operations alternately on each of two substantially parallel lines.

4. A method of forming parallel crimp creases in cardboard-and similar sheet material, comprising performing repeated single creasing operations alternately on each of a plurality of parallel longitudinal lines.

5. A method of forming parallel crimp creases in cardboard or similar sheet material, comprising performing repeated creasing operations on each of a plurality of'substantially parallel longitudinal lines, the creasing operations at laterally opposite points being alternately performed.

6. A method of forming parallel crimp creases in cardboard or similar sheet material, comprising performing repeated creasing operations on each of a plurality of parallel longitudinal lines with substantial overlaps in the crease sections formed on each of the lines, the creasing operations on laterally opposite points bemg alternately performed.

7. A method of making creases in paper and similar sheet material, comprising continuously advancing a sheet, and intermittently advancing .a substantially straight creasing instrumentality of substantial length and extending in the direction of movement of the sheet and in parallel relation to the same, and bringing said instrumentalities into simultaneous contact with successive portions of the sheet while traveling therewith, thereby .to form a continuous crease lengthwise of the sheet.

8. A method of making creases in paper and similar sheet material, comprising advancing a sheet, advancing co-operating straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length in parallel relation to the sheet at opposite sides thereof and bringing them throughout their lengths substantially simultaneously into contact with the sheet, and forming the crease'by co-operation of ously into contact with the sheet, and form ing the crease while the creasing instrumentality is moving at substantially sheet speed.

10. A method of making creases in paper and similar sheet material, comprising ad vancing a sheetsubstantially in an edgewise direction, moving a long, straight creasing instrumentality in a generally circuitous course so that it is intermittently advanced along with the sheet and brought in contact with the. sheet in parallel relation thereto, and forming the crease while the creasing instrumentality is moving at substantially sheet speed, retracting the creasing instrumentality from the sheet and moving it rearward preparatory to another advancing movement.

11. A method of making creases in cardboard and similar sheet material, comprising moving a (lo-operating pair of long, straight creasinginstrumentalities in generally circuitous courses and in parallel relation to each other, advancing a sheet to be creased between the creasing instrumentalities and in relation to the general location thereof,

and forming the crease by intermittent simultaneous contacts of the creasing instrumentalities with the sheet while said instrumentalities are moving substantially at sheet 7 speed.

12. A method of making longitudinal crimp creases in paper and similar sheet material, comprising advancing a sheet in a substantially linear direction, and producing successive distinct aligned longitudinal crease impressions of the same depth on the ating straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length, and means for bringing the instrumentalities of the difierent pairs alternately in contact with an interposed sheet, thus forming parallel creases therein.

15. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising two pairs of parallel co-operating straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length, and means'for bringing the instrumentalities of the different pairs alternately in contact with an interposed sheet, thus forming parallel creases therein while said instrumentalities are moving with the sheet..

16. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising two airs of parallel co-operating straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length, and means for bringing theinstrumentalities of the different pairs alternately in contact with an interposed sheet, thus forming parallel creases therein, the creasing instrumentalities of each pair being arranged in the longitudinal direction of sheet movement and being operated successively to make successive crease impressions along the same line with portions of the successive impressions overlapping, whereby the repeated actions of each pairof' creasing instrumentalities produce a single substantially continuous crease.

17. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising two pairs of parallel co-cperating straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length, and means for bringing the instrumentalities of the diiierent pairs alternately in contact with an interposed sheet, thus forming parallel creases therein, the creasing instrumentalities of each pair being arranged in the longitudinal'direction of sheet movement and being operated successively to make successive substantially adjoining crease impressions. along the same line, whereby t e repeated actions of each pair of creasing instrumentalities produce a single substantially continuous crease.

18. Greasing mechanism comprisin two pairs of creasing instrumentalities, each pair comprising substantially straight creasing means of substantial length located at one side of a sheet of cardboard or similar material to be creased and a co-operating abuts the creasing instrumentalities of the two par comprising substantially straight creas ing means of substantial length located at one side of a sheet of cardboard or similar material to be creased and a co-operating abutment located at the opposite side of said sheet, the creasing means of the different -pairs being in substantially parallel relation 20.'Creasing mechanism comprising two pairs of creasing instrumentalities in n itudinal relation to a sheet arranged to e advanced for creasing, each pair comprising substantially straight creasing means of substantial length located at one side of the sheet and a co-operating abutment located at the opposite side of said sheet, the creasing means of the two pairs being in substantially parallel relation and spaced apart, and means for operating the creasing instrumentalities of the two pairs in alternate relation' so that one pair performs a longitudinal creasing action upon a sheet while the other pair is inactive. I

21. Creasing mechanism comprising two pairs of creasing instrumentalities in longitudinal relation to a sheet arranged to be advanced for creasing, each pair comprising substantially straight creasing means of substantial length located atone side of the sheet and a co-operating abutment located at the opposite side of said sheet, the creasing means of the two pairs being in substantia 1y parallel relation and spaced"apart, and

meansv for-operating the pairs of creasing instrumentalities in alternate relation to cause each of them to make repeated intermittent longitudinal creasing contacts with sheet material.

of a sheet to be creased, means or moving the creasing instrumentalities in generall circuitous courses to approach, engage an crease and recede from the sheet, and means for varying the relative locations of the sheet and creasinginstrumentalities to cause the production of successive creasing impressions at different points of the sheet length.

23. Creasing mechanism of the class described, comprising co-operating substan- 'tially straight creasing instrumentalities of substantial length arranged at opposite faces f of a sheet to be creased, means for moving the creasing instrumentalities in generally circuitous courses to approach, engage and crease and recede from the sheet and meanwhile maintaining the creasers in parallel relation to the sheet, and means for varying the relative locations of the sheet and creas ing instrumentalitiest'o cause the'production of successive creasing impressions at dif-, ferent points of thefsheet length.

24. Creasing mechanism-' 'ofthe class scribed, comprising co-operating creasing instrumentalities arranged at opposite faces of a sheet to be creased and in lengthwise relation to the sheet, means for moving the creasing instrumentalities in generally circuitous courses to approach, engage and crease and recede from the sheet, and means for varying the relative locations of the sheet and creasing instrumentalities to cause the production of successive substantially abutting overlapping longitudinal creasing impressions which together form a continuous longitudinal crease.

25. Sheet creasing mechanism, comprising cooperating instrumentalities for engaging opposite faces of an advancing sheet to form a longitudinally extending crease therein, and means to alternately advance and retire said means in operative and in inoperative positions respectively, and at the same speed as the sheet in the advancing movement, thereby to cause said means to engage successive portions of the sheet whereby to form a continuous longitudinal crease.

26. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising co-operating substantially, straight creasing instrumentalities, and means for maintaining said instrumentalities in parallel relation to an interposed sheet and advancing them simultaneously in contact with the sheet to form a longitudinally extending crease therein while said instrumentalities are moving with the sheet at substantially sheet speed, and for subsequently moving said instrumentalities rearward preparatory to another advancing movement.

27. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising co-operating long, strai ht creasing instrumentalities, and means or maintaining said instrumentalities in parallel relation to an interposed sheetnand advancing them simultaneously in contact with the sheet and forming a crease therein while said instrumentalities 29. In sheet creasing mechanism of the.

class described, a creaser, a plurality of r0- tary driving elements therefor, each of the driving elements having an. eccentric connection with the creaser whereby the creaser is moved m a circuitous course and in parallel relation to a sheet.

in contact with the sheet during an advancing part of said circuitous movements to form the crease while said means are moving at substantially sheet speed.

31. In sheet creasing mechanism of the class described, a pair of co-operating creasers, and a plurality of rotary driving elements for each creaser, each of the driving elements having an eccentric connection with the corresponding creaser whereby the creasers are moved in circuitous courses and in parallel relation to each other.

32. In sheet creasing mechanism of the class described, a creaser body, a pair of supporting and driving shafts, an eccentric On each shaft, the creaser being mounted on the eccentrics, and means for driving the shafts simultaneously to move the creaser body in circuitous course in parallel relation to a sheet.

33. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising co-operating straight sheet creasing and advancing instrumentalities of substantial length, and means for simultaneously moving said instrumentalities in generally circuitous courses in parallel relation to an interposed sheet, the instrumentalities being arranged to simultaneously grip the sheet, advance it and crease it while in advancing engagement therewith.

34. Mechanism for'producing longitudinal creasesin paper and similar sheet material, comprising co-oper-ating' substantially parallel creaser bodies in lengthwise relation to a sheet advanced between them, long, straight creasing means on confronting faces of the bodies, and supporting and driving means for the bodies, devised to move them simultaneously in circuitous courses and with the creasing means in parallel relation to the sheet, the creasing means being brought simultaneously in contact with the sheet as they approach each other and maintained in contact with the sheet to advance it and form a longitudinal crease therein..

35. Mechanism for producing longitudinal creases in paper and similar sheet material,

comprising co-operating substantially parallel creaser bodies in lengthwise relation to a sheet advanced between them, long, straight creasing means on confronting faces of the bodies, and supporting and driving-means for the bodies, devised to move simultaneously in circuitous courses and in parallel relation to the sheet, the creasing means being brought simultaneously in contact with the sheet as they approach each other and main 13o tained in contact with the sheet toadvance it and form a longitudinal crease therein, the creasing means being dimensioned, and the driving and supporting means arranged to provide substantial overlaps in the creasing actions.

36. Creasing mechanism of the class described, comprising substantially straight, rigid creasers of substantial length arranged for circuitous movement in a common plane and for co-operation with an interposed sheet of cardboard or analogous material, and

means for moving the creasers simultaneously in a convergent direction to engage the sheet, then longitudinally with the sheet while forming a crimp crease therein, then divergently from the sheet and rearwardly ready for repetition of the stated movements.

37. Creasing mechanism of the class described, comprising means for advancing cardboard or similar sheet material, longitudinal creasers, and means for moving them along with the advancing sheets to form longitudinal creases therein, transverse creasers,-

and means for advancing them along with the advancing sheet to form transverse creases therein.

38. Creasing mechanism of the class described, comprising means for advancing cardboard or similar sheet material, longitudinal creasers, means for moving them along with the advancing sheets to form longitudinal creases therein, sheet shaping means, and means for advancing said sheet shaping means along with the sheet While the shaping operation is performed.

39. Qreasing mechanism of the class described, comprising means for advancing cardboard or similar sheet material, longitudinal creasers, means for moving them along with the advancing sheets to form longitudinal creases therein, transverse creasers, means for advancing them along with the advancing sheet to form transverse creases therein, sheet shaping means, and means for advancing said sheet shaping means along with the sheet while the shaping operation is performed.

40. Mechanism for working cardboard and similar material, comprising means for advancing the sheet material, co-operating devices for acting on the sheet advanced between them, means for moving said devices simultaneously in substantially circuitous courses, a main driver, and a driving connection between the main driver and said means,

and including means for adjusting the relation of the said devices to the advancing sheet.

41. Mechanism for working cardboard and similar material, comprising means for advancing the sheet material, co-operating devices for acting on the sheet advanced between them, means for moving said devices simultaneously in substantially circuitous courses, a main driver, and a driving connection between the main driver and said means, and means for continuously varying the speed of movement of said devices in relation to the rate of sheet movement.

42. Mechanism for operating upon sheet material such as cardboard, comprising feed rolls for initially advancing the sheet material, a pair of co-operating devices arranged at opposite sides of the advancing sheet and devised to perform an operation thereon, means for moving said devices simultaneously in substantially circuitous courses, a. main driver, and driving connections between said main driver and said means and including elliptical gears for continually varying the speed of movement of said devices.

43. Mechanism for operating upon sheet material such as cardboard, comprising feed rolls for initially advancing the sheetmaterial, a pair of co-operatin devices arranged at opposite sides of the a vancing sheet and devised to perform an operation thereon, means for moving said devices simultaneously in substantially circuitous courses, a main driver, driving connections between said main driver and said means and including elliptical gears for continually varying the speed movement of said devices, and means for varying the angular position of one of the elliptical gears to vary the relation of said devices to the advancing sheet.

44. Mechanism for operating upon sheerr material such as cardboard, comprising fee rolls for initially advancing the sheet material, a pair of co-operating devices arranged at opposite sides of the advancing sheet and devised to perform an operation thereon, means for moving said devices simultaneously in substantially circuitous courses, a main driver, a driving connection from the main driver to the initial feed rolls and including means for varying the speed relation of said rolls to the main driver, a driving connection from the main driver to said devicemoving means, and means for adjusting the last named driving connection irrespective of the driving ratio of said initial feed roll.

45. Creasing mechanism comprising a creaser body, a pair of rotary drivers therefor having eccentric elements on which the body is mounted, means for driving the rotary drivers simultaneously, and creasing elements of'substantial length arranged longitudinally on an exposed face of the body.

46. Creasing mechanism comprising a pair of substantially opposite co-operating creaser bodies, a pair of rotary drivers for each body having eccentric elements on which the er bodies, a pair of rotary drivers for each body having eccentric elements on which the body is mounted, means for driving all of the co-operate with said bead and inclined faces to form a bead or pinch crease.

48. Creasing mechanism comprising a pair of substantially opposite co-operating creaser bodies, a pair of rotary drivers for each body having eccentric elements on which the body is mounted, means for driving all of the rotary drivers simultaneously, a creasing bead and angular abutment faces at each side thereof, said bead and faces being of substantial length and longitudinally located on an inward face of one of the creaser bodies, and co-operating creasing means carried on an inward face of the other creaser body, said means including two blades of substantial length mounted for yielding and convergent pinching movement, and a spring-actuated bar located between said blades.

49. A method of creasing sheet material, comprising moving a substantially straight creaser of substantial length in an orbital path and maintaining its creasing face in substantially flatwise parallel relation to a sheet to be creased while the creaser is in proximity to the sheet, andbringing the creaser and the sheet into creasing contact while they are movilng together at substantially the same s ee I 50. A method of creasing sheet material, comprising moving a substantially straight creaser of substantial len h in an orbital path in a plane perpendicu ar to a sheet to be creased, and maintaining the working face of the creaser while approaching and leaving the sheet in a plane parallel to the sheet plane, and bringing the creaser and sheet into creasing contact and forming the crease while the sheet and creaser are moving in contact at substantially the same speed.

51. A method of creasing sheet material, comprising moving a substantially straight creaser of substantial length in an orbital path in a plane perpendicular to a sheet to be creased, the creaser being arranged longitudinally with reference to direction of sheet travel, and maintaining the working face of the creaser while approaching and leaving the sheet in a plane parallel to the sheet plane,

and bringing the creaser and sheet into c eass ing contact and forming the crease while the sheet and creaser are moving in contact at substantially the same speed.

52. A method of creasing sheet material,

' comprising moving a substantially straight creaser of substantial length in an orbital path in a plane perpendicular to a sheet to be creased, the creaser being arranged transversely with relation to the direction of sheet travel, and maintaining the working face of the creaser while approaching and leaving the sheet in a plane parallel. to the sheet plane, and bringing the creaser and sheet into creasing contact and forming the crease while the sheet and creaser are moving in contact at substantially the same speed.

53. Greasing mechanism comprising a body of substantial length and a substantially straight creasing instrumentality on an outward face thereof, means for moving said porting and advancing a sheet in parallel re-- lation to the body and bringing it in contact with the creasing instrumentality thereon, while said instrumentality and sheet are moving at substantially identical speeds.

54. Creasing mechanism comprising a body of substantial length and a substantially straight creasing instrumentality on an outward face thereof, means for moving said body in an orbital path and maintaining it constantly in positions parallel to anyone of its momentary positions, and means for supporting and advancing a sheet in parallel relation to the body and bringing it in contact with the creasing instrument-alit thereon, while said instrumentality and s eet are moving at substantially identical speeds, the creaser body being arranged substantially transverse the direction of sheet movement.

55. A method of creasing sheet material, comprising moving a sheet of material and a substantially rigid creasing device of substantial length into creasing engagement by bodily movement of the creasing device in parallel relation to the plane of the sheet, advancing the sheet and device bodily while the creasing action is taking place, disengaging the creasing device and sheet by divergent movement of the former in parallel relation to the sheet plane, and retracting the creasing device for repeated action.

56. A method of forming fold lines in sheet material, comprising advancing a sheet and a fold-line-forming device and bringing the sheet and the device into fold-1ine-forming contact with concurrent forward movement of the sheet and the device while in contact, moving the device away from the sheet and retracting it, and repeating the stated operations to produce a substantially continuous fold line.

57. A method of forming parallel crimp creases in cardboard and similar sheet material, comprising performing repeated creasing operations alternately on each of a plurality of parallel longitudinal lines.

58. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising two creasers and means for bringing them alternatel in contact with a sheet and advancing them with the sheet while in creasing contact.

59. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising two pairs of approximately parallel creasing instrumentalities, and means for bringing the instrumentali'ties of the different pairs alternately in contact with an interposed sheet and advancing them with the sheet while in creasing contact.

60. Sheet working mechanism comprising a substantially straight, rigid creasmg instrumentality of substantial length for operating upon a sheet, and means for'moving the lnstrumentality in a generally circuitous course to alternately engage and advance the sheet while operating thereon, and withdrawing and retracting the instrumentality for another action.

61. Sheet creasing mechanism comprising co-operating straight rigid creasing instrumentalities of substantial length and means for maintaining said instrumentalities in parallel relation to an interposed sheet and advancing them simultaneously in contact with the sheet and forming a crease therein while said instrumentalities are moving with the sheet.

62. Greasing mechanism comprising lontudinal and transverse creasers and means for moving the creasers bodil in contact with a sheet to produce longitudinal and transverse creases in a substantially continuous course of sheet movement.

. 63. Creasing mechanism comprising 1ongitudinal and transverse-creasers and means for bringing the creasers intermittently in contact with an advancing sheet to produce crease formations during mutual sheet and creaser advance, and for withdrawing and a substantially rigid creasing device of substantial length extending in the direction of length of the sheet into creasing engagement with the sheet, and advancing the sheet and the device bodily while the creasing action is taking lace, disengaging the creasing device and s cat by divergent movement of the former in parallel relation to the sheet plane,

and retracting the creasing device for repeated action.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New. York, this 22nd day of October, A. D. 1925.

' HARRY BRIDGMAN SMITH. 

